Berlin
---- ---- Critical Mass in has been tradition since 1997. After a longer break there is a new generation who monthly celebrates cycling in Berlin. Critical Mass history Critical Mass started in Berlin in September 1997 with only 20 people and continued with this amount. They met 4pm, every last Friday of the month at the Brandenburger Tor. In 1998 these count quickly raising. In May 1998 there were 300 and one month later over 500 who celebrated riding together. These number decreased over the next years (1999 - 2000). In October 2001 the last CM ride has taken place for a long time. Critical Mass Rides in Berlin also took place to other mostly political oriented events. There was e.g. a Critical Mass ride at the day of the eviction of the Yorck59 (06 June 2005) http://de.indymedia.org/2005/06/119489.shtml. Other happenings were Reclaim the Streets. At that time the authorities were also interested in Critical Mass bike rides, so the cyclists were often escorted with bicycles, motorbikes or cars of the Berlin Police. Civil cars were regularly used to observe the Mass too. So some cyclists got fines because accusations of violations against the traffic laws. . In the media there were some reports of the monthly rides, particularly when rides with many participians took place, in TV, e.g. in B1, "Berliner Abendschau" and in the press articles. Particularized informations and impressions can still be found on the legendary Critical Mass Berlin homepage, see Links. Critical Mass in the new century Since December 2006 there have been Critical Mass Rides in Berlin once again. Again the last Friday of every month at 4:00 pm. But now at the Heinrichplatz in , one of the Citys most beautiful districts. Image:Critical Mass Berlin - Februar 2007.jpg|Critical Mass Singlespeed road bicycle, February 07 Image:CM Berlin - June 2007.jpg|Mariannenplatz, June 07 Dates ;Critical Mass *Regular rides see the box on the right/top. ;Other events *Every year in June: Sternfahrt Berlin Homepage ADFC Berlin *Every year in September: Kreisfahrt of the ADFC Homepage ADFC *Worldcarfree Day (every year: 22. September) Incidents since 2006 ;December 07: First Ride in Berlin since 2001 with 8 Critical Mass riders ;May 07: Police checked bicycles and got personal data from some cyclysts. One person should have been arrested (Source: de.indymedia.org), causes unknown until now. Anyhow Critical Mass started, but only with a few people. ;July 07: Around 40 cyclists started at the Heinrichplatz, during the ride the count increased up to 60 participiants. There was an incident at the Heinrich-Heine-Straße where the police confiscated a bicycle (later gave it back) and got personal data of at least on person. See http://de.indymedia.org/2007/07/189300.shtml and http://de.indymedia.org/2007/07/189267.shtml for particularized reports of this ride. Image:CM Berlin - July 2007 - Confiscating Bicycle.jpg|Police confiscated a bicycle but gave it back some time later Image:CM Berlin - July 2007.jpg|Cycling around the Straußberger Platz ;August 07: First time since first ride in December 2006 Critical Mass has failed (too less people). ;September 07: September 28, 2007 was the 10th anniversary of Critical Mass in Berlin: Rain, rain, rain... Only 20 riders took part. Four cars of the Berlin police should have been present at the starting place to control this ride. See also http://www.kiezkumpel.de/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=75&Itemid=36. Statistics Comparision with other German cities. Press/Media * On April, 07 2007 the Berliner Zeitung mentioned Critical Mass in Berlin http://www.berlinonline.de/berliner-zeitung/archiv/.bin/dump.fcgi/2007/0427/lokales/0130/index.html Self conception/Behaviour Not all people understand what Critcal Mass means. Though there are no leaders and no fixed agendas of a Critical Mass bike ride there are some things which should be sure riding safely, see Self conception/Selbstverständnis (in German only). Controversy Critical Mass bike rides are also not indisputable in Berlin, which has also impacts on the number of the participants. Surely reasons would be the early time on a working day and a possible low spreading of the topic in the society. Indeed, several hundred people rode in Berlin in 1998/1999 also during these days what has contributed to reinforced media interest and thereby also for a bigger spreading. Other reasons for abating or the stagnation of the interest in Critical Mass are very varied. General criticism of this form of the traffic participation, the behaviour against the primary thoughts of Critical Mass and the actionism of several cyclists who strengthens the conflicts with the motorised traffic and possible problems with the authorities may be some important ones of it. Likewise as the rather actionism character with missing perspectives. Photogallery A sorted gallery can be found here: Berlin_Photos. Flyers Some flyers promoting Critical Mass. You can list all flyers worldwide in the Category:Flyers or search espescially for Berlin in the Category:Berlin. Image:Cm2.jpg|PDF-File for printing Image:Cmflyer8.jpg|PDF-File for printing Image:Flycmb-2.png|Flyer Image:Cmberlinflyer.gif|PDF-File for printing Image:Berlin-Flyer.jpg|Flyer in English Links ;Critical Mass : Berlin *Blog about Critical Mass Berlin (join and write articles) *Info about Critical Mass in Berlin (some good texts; first page of the new Critical Mass) *Critical Mass Berlin (history; not updated since 2001) : General * *Was ist Critical Mass? (Definition of a Hamburg side) *Was ist Critical Mass? (Side from Stuttgart Critical Mass) : Photos *Photos at flickr from the Critical Mass Berlin Blog *Pictures of a Critical Mass Ride in Berlin May 1998 *Photos of the March 30th, 2007 Critical Mass in Berlin *Photosearch at flickr.com ;Cycling in Berlin : Road traffic *Police Berlin: statistics of accidents *Senatsverwaltung für Stadtentwicklung: Cycling in Berlin References Category:Germany Category:Berlin Category:Ride locations